Lotus Glen prison officer revealed as suicide victim as Response calls for change

A Lotus Glen Correctional Centre prison officer is one of the six to have taken their life as the wife of a former guard calls for an inquiry into the system.

A Lotus Glen Correctional Centre prison officer is one of the six to have taken their life as the wife of a former guard calls for an inquiry into the system.

Response Mental Health Peer Support has also called for an independent inquiry with the estimated suicide rate of officers equal to or more than six times the national average.

The wife of a former QCS officer who has experienced severe trauma on the job said the community did not understand the pressures of the job when managing often violent and mentally ill inmates.

“Correctional officers are locked away unlike other emergency services personnel like nurses, police and firefighters,” she said.

“Nobody sees you when incidents with prisoners happen unless someone whistleblows and you become a scapegoat.”

She said there also needed to be a “top to bottom” independent review of how QCS supported correctional officers.

A Response spokesman said officers faced extreme challenges daily and said they were unprepared to manage their own mental health and wellbeing.

“Correctional officers receive almost no training in managing people with mental illness,” he said.

“Officers are committing suicide with their mental health being affected by the pressures of managing violent and mentally ill prisoners.

“All the suicides have been males so far and we estimate it’s up to six times the national average and is across all ages,” he said.

“The only way for things to move forward is for an independent inquiry to take a forensic investigation.”

He said Response had called for professional training in managing mentally ill prisoners; training to help manage officers’ mental health; improved support services such as counselling, psychiatrists, peer support groups, chaplains and welfare officers; and an improved and supportive Employee Assistance Program (EAP) after claims face-to-face interviews with staff could take up to six weeks.

Six Queensland Correctional Services officers have taken their own life in the past two years and Response Mental Health Peer Support said more support is needed to help officers deal with the huge challenges presented by their work. File Picture.

A Queensland Correctional Services spokeswoman confirmed the death of the Lotus Glen prison officer.

“QCS provided employee assistance to officers at Lotus Glen Correctional Centre following the sudden death of a former employee in 2022,” she said.

“For confidentiality reasons, it would be inappropriate for QCS to comment further.

“The Queensland Police Service is investigating and will prepare a report for the Coroner.”

The QCS spokeswoman disagreed prison officers were unsupported.

She said QCS transitioned its EAP services to a new provider last September, which had a network of more than 400 clinicians in Queensland including experienced trauma consultants.

Correctional services officers at Lotus Glen Correctional Centre require more support in dealing with inmates who have mental health images according to a prison officer mental health support group. File Picture: Daniel Soekov for Human Rights Watch

“QCS is committed to providing the best possible support to our officers, including fit-for-purpose mental health support,” she said.

“They provide rapid response consultants who can provide immediate support, follow up and referral.”

She said that officers seeking support can access a phone or video call appointment within 24 hours, and wherever possible, face-to-face appointments within three days, subject to availability.

Response is also seeking to become a mental health support provider for Queensland Corrective Services.

If this article has raised issues for you or someone close to you, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 635.

Originally published as Lotus Glen prison officer revealed as suicide victim as Response calls for change